87 Rear spring - tech question
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Wesley Chapel FL
87 Rear spring - tech question
What are the fiber/paper spacers at the rear spring clamp that attaches to differential. Shop Manual does not show them, just metal spacers. If I read correctly, metal spacers are positioned per type of suspension. But where do fiber ones go? What is purpose? Thanks :confused:
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
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Re: 87 Rear spring - tech question (Fla87)
The shop manual shows the illustration, BUT I believe it is not all metal spacers but those drawings are also the fiber ones.
When i took my spring off, I tried to carefully not let the spacers fall apart so I wouldnt know exactly whree it went back, and its important to make a note of where they go on a piece of paper so you can reinstall the same way.
The fiber spacers have those rivets in them and if you look carefully,they will leave a squash mark on them so you can fit them back correctly.
As far as I know, its something to do with spring height and location on the differential.I ended up reglueing the spacers together since they were coming apart when I took them off.
I think depending on the spring stiffness,they added those fiberspacers a certain way for the car you have and the manual isnt going to be exact.
This is all I can pretty much think of...did you get them mixed up and need an idea where they should go back?
Let us know, and we can go look for you at where the spacers are and the fiber ones are.
When i took my spring off, I tried to carefully not let the spacers fall apart so I wouldnt know exactly whree it went back, and its important to make a note of where they go on a piece of paper so you can reinstall the same way.
The fiber spacers have those rivets in them and if you look carefully,they will leave a squash mark on them so you can fit them back correctly.
As far as I know, its something to do with spring height and location on the differential.I ended up reglueing the spacers together since they were coming apart when I took them off.
I think depending on the spring stiffness,they added those fiberspacers a certain way for the car you have and the manual isnt going to be exact.
This is all I can pretty much think of...did you get them mixed up and need an idea where they should go back?
Let us know, and we can go look for you at where the spacers are and the fiber ones are.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 234
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From: Wesley Chapel FL
Re: 87 Rear spring - tech question (Fla87)
Thanks for the reply. I did not "see" the fiber washers when I removed the spring until I cleaned the parts. The car had a bad diff oil leak (previous owner) for a long time and it was a mess back there. The fiber spacers were stuck to the metal spacers and one was stuck on the spring. There are 4 in total, and I am not sure if they go top and bottom, in between the larger shims or??? My shop manual (86) does not show them at all and my car is a late 87. I suppose they could be for noise isolation or pad height, or both, or ?
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2001
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Re: 87 Rear spring - tech question (Fla87)
Section 3, rear suspension. Smaller fiber spacer is referred to as the insulator. You won't see any part # on the metal spacers. you should have three spacers, two of one thickness and one of another thickness. Wipe off your glass spring and note the color of a single swipe of paint near the embossed three letter part code. That tells you the order of the spacers. Green: one thick and one thin above, one thin below. Yellow: one thin above, one thick and one thin below. White: ?
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 1999
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From: Sarasota FL
Re: 87 Rear spring - tech question (LouisBarton)
You've been given a lot of good, true info. The only thing I can add is all vettes should have the same number of spacers so the spring tie downs fit flush with the diff - the options determine which shims go above and below the spring which determines ride height, to a small extent.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 234
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From: Wesley Chapel FL
Re: 87 Rear spring - tech question (Aaron's 87)
Thanks for all the help guys. I found the yellow mark on the spring and can see the fiber insulators were on the top of the spacer next to the spring. Apprecate the help.
Diff is rebuilt and installed and in the "home stretch" replacing all the bushings, u-joints and misc parts. Carrier beam is a project the first time.
Diff is rebuilt and installed and in the "home stretch" replacing all the bushings, u-joints and misc parts. Carrier beam is a project the first time.
